“He is 10 times the player I was at 19” - Manchester United legend Paul Scholes makes incredible claim on Kobbie Mainoo

Manchester United legend Paul Scholes has made an incredible claim about talented Red Devils midfielder Kobbie Mainoo. The 19-year-old was a calm presence in the middle of the park for United, as he scored a goal to help his side win the FA Cup final against Manchester City on Saturday, May 25.

Mainoo was easily one of the best players on the pitch at Wembley, as he provided defensive solidity after United had gone up by two goals. Alejandro Garnacho broke the deadlock in the 30th minute before Mainoo added the second nine minutes later. However, an onslaught from Manchester City required focus from the teenager, who played his part well in the first third.

His overall performance drew praise from Manchester United legend Paul Scholes, who warned against anyone making comparisons between him and Mainoo.

Scholes wrote on his Instagram story:

"Read a few comparisons between me and this kid last week... Don't waste your time, he is 10 times the player I was at 19... Just love the way he receives the ball, the calmness, the awareness of what's around him and, of course, the big goals in big games... This boy is special... and he's a f***ing Red."

Erik ten Hag slams pundits as Manchester United sack reportedly looms

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag could be out of a job this summer, even after winning the FA Cup. However, ahead of the game, he took a swing at English pundits, whose words he has not been too pleased with this season.

Speaking to Dutch media outlet VI, Ten Hag lashed out (via Daily Mail):

"The pundits in England want to score, they want to show they are worth the money, and for that Manchester United is an easy prey. It’s the biggest club in England and possibly in the world. The club is either loved or hated, there is no in-between. So when things go bad, they all start talking and talking with very big words."

"All this negativity from these so called experts who don’t have the capability to analyse something with facts, but who prefer to attack people to make themselves look better. And these same people were the ones who gave me a pat on the back last year. Last year I was able to walk on water, this year I am the worst manager in the Premier League," he added.

There are no guarantees that Erik ten Hag will continue as the manager of Manchester United after the season.

The board will need to decide and determine if they are willing to find someone new or stick with the Dutchman.

About the author

Nnanna is a European and international football journalist who has been covering news and transfer rumors at Sportskeeda for around 5 years. A keen interest in reading and football since an early age, watching games at local stadiums with family paved the way for him to take up the sport professionally.

Nnanna’s favorite club is English team Bolton Wanderers because he witnessed Nigeria legend Jay-Jay Okocha's play for them between 2002 and 2006. His favorite footballer is Ronaldinho due to the Brazilian's love for the sport and admires Pep Guardiola for redefining football tactics. As a former literature student, Nnanna reckons that the best way of connecting with the readers is to add a bit of empathy in his writing, and relies on trusted websites like Transfermarkt and WhoScored for his articles.

Lionel Messi lifting the World Cup trophy in 2022 is Nnanna’s favorite FIFA World Cup moment, and also follows Major League Soccer due to the diminutive Argentine. He strongly believes that Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland could be the next two superstars in the same light as legendary pair Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

When not writing, he likes to play Football Manager and other simulation games.

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Edited by Samya Majumdar